Someone once said to me, “There are veterinarians who help some animal rescues. You are not one of those vets. You are an animal rescuer who just happens to be a veterinarian.“
I believe every animal has a story. I am fortunate enough to be able to share some of them.

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Friday, April 29, 2011

After eight years, Addie was going back to her puppyhood home after no one came to claim her as their own. While she may not be aware of the wonder of this situation, I certainly was, and I was hopeful that the reunion and transition back into her home would be pleasant and smooth for everyone involved.

(If you missed Parts 1 and 2 of Addie's story, click these links to read them...

Addie's parents and I arranged to meet up in Coralville Iowa, in a Walmart parking lot. We would drive two and half hours, and they would drive three and a half hours. We exchanged descriptions of our vehicles so we would easily recognize each other once we were at the meeting point. We were all very excited. One of my Veterinary Assistants, Kassy, came along for the reunion ride.

The drive was terrible. It went smoothly, but the wind was horrific and blew the van all over the highway. For a day in April it was bitterly cold. Addie was very well behaved riding in the car, but I didn't expect any less from her. She enjoyed looking out the window from behind my seat.

We stopped for gas and a poochie potty break, and while I took a few moments to shoot this photo of Kassy walking Addie, I ran straight back to the shelter of the van from the wind after I took it. While I sat in the comfort of the van, Kassy was very brave (and very cold), giving Addie enough time to do her business.

We finally arrived at our destination. On a nice day, we would have sat in the grass with Addie, but considering this weather, let's just say "Forget about it". The wind continued, there was no sun, and neither Kassy nor I brought a coat worthy of this weather, after all, it was April. We waited in the car after another quick poochie potty break. I was nervous and excited. I was nervous because there were still many unanswered questions. How would Cody and Addie get along with each other? What if Addie did not seem comfortable with them? What if the people that I liked after speaking with them over the phone, were not as "nice" in person? And most of all, what if I cried?!

Suddenly I noticed a vehicle to the right of us and in the passenger seat is a woman pleasantly and excitedly waving at us. I knew it was them. Cody came bounding out of the car, and her parents soon followed. The time has come, and out came the video camera. While I recorded, Kassy brought Addie out of the van.

Addie's new old Mom, Caroline, cried while her husband, Tim, seemed to hold it together. I was able to concentrate on the "motion picture" (made even more so because of the wind), so while I was emotional, I did not cry, at least not at first.

The dogs seemed to enjoy each other's company. That was reassuring. We decided to climb into their car and discuss Addie's story. Caroline told me that her father passed away two months ago, and she believed this reunion was his way of saying things were going to be okay. That is when my tears came. I am so happy that Caroline's Dad reached down to Addie and told her to go home.

Caroline and Tim shared Addie's puppy photos with me and we talked about the past, and the lessons that this experience has taught them. They understand much more now, than they did eight years ago about the origins of pet store puppies. Hindsight has given them 20/20 vision. While this family has been given a second chance with a dog they loved, not everyone is so lucky. A simple microchip made this reunion possible.

While these kids enjoyed Addie's puppyhood, they missed out on eight years of Addie's life.

Fortunately, these young adults have an opportunity to cherish Addie's "retirement" years, and perhaps educate people by sharing Addie's story and relaying the truth about pet store puppies, and the importance of microchipping your pet.

So, how are Addie and Cody doing now?

While Cody's nose is slightly bent out of shape having a "new" dog around...

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Tuesday, April 26, 2011

After several months of grieving, Addie's family decided it was time to move on. It was time to allow another puppy into their hearts. Into the family comes a beautiful Golden Retriever puppy. She was as happy, playful, and friendly as Addie was at that age. They named her Cody.

Cody's family watched very closely for anything that might indicate a problem with her health. Fortunately, neither the family, nor their veterinarian saw any signs of problems. To relieve their anguish, they x-rayed her hips as a precautionary measure, and her hips were wonderful. The family breathed a sigh of relief.

One day, Cody's Mom came home and the answering machine was blinking. She listened to the message, and was unsure of what to make of it. She played it again and again.

"Hi. This is Jewell Animal Hospital. We have a dog here whose microchip is registered to you. Her name is Addie. Please give us a call at ...."

After several times listening to the message in disbelief, she scrambled for a pen to write down the phone number. As she grabbed a piece of paper, she gazed over at Cody who was sleeping soundly by the fireplace.

Cody the puppy is now eight years old.

Addie the puppy is now 9 years old.

Eight years have passed! The children that Addie knew and loved were now young adults. Questions ran through her mind. "Is this possible? Could someone be playing some sort of cruel joke? Addie is gone. Isn't she?"

She scribbled the phone number on a piece of paper, but it was too late in the day to return the call. She waited anxiously for her husband to come home. The two sat down, shocked at the news and discussed the possibilities.

The next day, neither party at opposite ends of the phone line could believe what they were hearing. Addie's parents were stunned. The dog they thought was dead, the dog that their veterinarian told them would not be able to walk into adulthood, was now six hours away, homeless, 9 years old... and walking.

The staff at my clinic was also stunned. Missy ran over to me and declared, "You have another blog to write." When she filled me in, I was also in disbelief.

We still had to wait for the seven day voluntary hold time that my clinic allows for owner's to reclaim their lost pets. If a family locally was looking for Addie, I wanted them to have every opportunity to do so. She seemed as though she had been well cared for prior to coming to us. So we waited.

Addie's former parents had made it clear that they wanted her back, but only if there was no family out there looking for her. They did not want another family to suffer the loss of Addie they way they had.

They had so many questions. How is she walking? Can she go up and down stairs? We took an x-ray of Addie's hips.

Addie's Hip Radiograph (X-Ray)

Diagram of a normal hip x-ray

Close up of a normal "Ball & Socket" Hip Joint:

The ball of the joint is very round and fits nicely within the socket formed by the pelvis.

When comparing the above x-rays, it is evident that Addie's hip joint is not normal. The "ball" of the "ball & socket" type joint is not even close to ball shaped, but flattened and mushroomed out. If you cup one hand over your other hand while making a fist, you will note that you cannot move the fisted hand, it is held firmly in place. Now place your open hand over the fist without cupping it, and you can see how you can slide the fist up and down the palm of your hand. This is an example of what causes the laxity in the joint. This movement/laxity is what happens as the joint bears the weight of the dog during its stride. It is this laxity that causes the pain, arthritis build-up, and joint degeneration with hip dysplasia. Addie's veterinarian was right to be so concerned about Addie's abilities, but perhaps we in the veterinary world do not give enough credit to the resilience of animals. I have had two hip cases in which I NEVER would have thought the animals would do as well as they have (perhaps a topic in a future blog). Sometimes, we, as veterinarians (myself included), have to sit back, watch, and learn from our patients rather than diagnose and deliver a sentence.

Addie's seventh day of hold time came, and it went. The eighth day came, and it went. The ninth day came, and it went. No one called or came into the clinic looking for their lost Yellow Lab. Whoever has had Addie for the past 8 years, is now without her. She seems to have been cared for well. She is not underweight. Her coat is healthy. She is potty trained. Whoever had her never registered her microchip in their own name.

These economic times put people in positions that require drastic change. Some people in dire circumstances make poor choices out of desperation. Animals seem to pop up in the strangest places. So here Addie sits. A large senior dog without a home is not an easy dog to find a new home, but we would have sat by her. Fortunately, we do not have to wait. Her "new old" family is waiting.

The past eight years of Addie's life are unknown. Did the pet store sell her again? Did the breeder sell her? Did the breeder give her away to a family or to a rescue group? Why was she so ill towards the end? No one knows. We could hypothesize, but why bother. I am just thankful that when Addie was young she was both spayed and microchipped.

What we do know is that it was time to make arrangements to bring Addie home. And yes, I will take you along for the ride...

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Sunday, April 24, 2011

Making the decision to get a family pet is not an easy one, and should not be taken lightly. It is a commitment to be made for the life of the pet. This is the tale of one family who decided to join the ranks of pet guardianship.

After much family deliberating, a young family decides it is time for a pet. The kids are young, but not too young. They considered the commitment it would take, the chores it would require, the expenses involved, the time needed. They discussed as a family what would need to be done to care for a pet and agreed that they were ready.

The family went to the local pet store. After all, that is where you get a pet, right? You see the puppy in the showroom of your local pet store and cannot bear the thought of leaving without it. You are in love. You are hooked. The family went home that day with an adorable little yellow Labrador Retriever puppy.

This was the family's first pet, and it was a special time for everyone involved. They named the puppy "Addie", and Addie was a very lucky dog to be in such a caring family. The family did everything "right". They followed their veterinarian's recommendations to a "T". They took Addie to doggie school. They brought her on their vacations rather than leave her behind.

The young children were thrilled to have a new puppy. They ran with her. They played with her. They dressed her up.

They cuddled in bed with her.

They had monthly birthday parties for her.

What could be better for a parent than to watch such a marvelous interaction between their children and a puppy? It was not just a puppy learning to behave and do tricks. It was a family learning to love, care for, and respect a new life in their home.

Addie seemed to be a happy, loving, and healthy puppy. She played. She ran.

She ate. She slept. She climbed stairs.

She was as fun and as mischievous as any puppy should be.

But the family noticed a few odd things about Addie, even when she was tiny. When she would lay down, she did not always seem comfortable. She never spread her legs out back like a frog when laying down. There was something strange about the way she ran.

As time passed, and Addie grew larger and heavier, the few odd things became more noticeable. Her gait became more unusual. Her ability to lay down and get back up became more like an old dog, rather than the puppy she still was. Her willingness to jump or stand on her hind legs was significantly less enthusiastic.

With great concern, they took her to their veterinarian. An exam was completed and x-rays were taken. The results did not surprise Addie's Mom, but the prognosis did.

The family was informed that their beautiful, "healthy" Lab puppy had severe hip dysplasia. Addie's hip dysplasia was so severe, that the veterinarian informed them that even with surgery, they would be forced to carry her around. They would need to carry her up and down the stairs that were throughout their house as a result of the pain from the deformity. She would be unable to do it on her own. She would likely lose the ability to walk.

The family left their veterinary hospital with pain relievers for Addie. What they needed were pain relievers for their hearts. While Addie left the veterinary clinic unaware of her prognosis, her owners were painfully aware of it, and now had to talk to their children about it.

After many words, and even more tears, the family was fully aware that at some point in her young life, Addie, their puppy, would need to be euthanized when her pain became intolerable.

They consulted the pet store where they purchased Addie about her health condition. To their dismay, a letter from their veterinarian about Addie's condition would not suffice. For the warranty to be honored, they were required to return Addie to the pet store. She would in turn be returned to the breeder and "euthanized". The pet store would then be given "credit" for the puppy's return, and the family could receive a new puppy at no charge when they were ready. There would be no reimbursement for the extensive veterinary bills they had already accumulated. There would be nothing to repair the hearts of the children that fell in love with their first pet only to lose her in just a few short months.

Unfortunately, most breeder warranties contain clauses similar to this. The warranty often requires return of the puppy if for any reason the dog is deemed unhealthy by a veterinarian. Once returned, a "replacement" is given.

When a severe condition is discovered, it may not be life threatening but may be life altering, and unless you plan to give that dog back to the breeder or pet store, you receive no credit, and rarely any money back on purchase price. You are left to accrue veterinary bills on your dog's health problems with no recourse. Many warranties bank on the fact that you love the animal enough to not return it. But in Addie's case, her condition was not repairable, not livable, and would cause her great discomfort. Addie's family felt as though they had no other option. They believed they were bound by a contract.

Addie became consistently more troubled by her hips. She was in and out of their veterinarian's office. She was on different types of pain relievers. Soon, none of them were helping. Her stiffness and pain was evident on a daily basis. The medications were altering her personality. At eight months of age, Addie stopped wanting to eat. She became very lethargic, no longer wanting to play the way an eight month old puppy should. After a final consult with their veterinarian, the family knew the time had come.

As a final farewell, the family took Addie on her final vacation. They took her to Lake Michigan, where she could stand and play in the water that she loved so much.

Shortly after they returned home, the family decided it was Addie's time. After the children said their tearful goodbyes to their first puppy, who was still a puppy, Addie was heartbreakingly returned to the pet store to satisfy a contract.

Everything about the situation sickened Addie's Mom, but she thought she was doing the right thing by Addie and felt bound to the agreement that they signed when purchasing that cute pet store puppy.

They left the pet store in a state of grief, knowing that their puppy would soon be euthanized, and they were returning to a house where their children sat heartbroken. The puppy they purchased, thinking they would share 8-10 years of love, was loved immensely by a family for only six short months.

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Tuesday, April 19, 2011

People often assume that the name posted on an animal care facility expresses the organization's policies regarding the animals in their care. This could not be further from the truth. The name of an organization says nothing about their policies. In many cases, the name itself can be a misnomer.

The term "humane society" or "SPCA" in the title of a local organization functions independently from the well known national organizations HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) or ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). While both groups supply vital resources in the aid of animal welfare and animal rights, only the ASPCA actually runs shelters throughout the country.

There are no distinct definitions or requirements for a group to use the words animal control, animal shelter, humane society, animal welfare society, animal rescue, city dog pound, etc. The title of a group does not indicate what their policies are. Whether you have found an animal you need to turn in, you want to volunteer, or you are forced to relinquish your own pets, YOU HAVE TO ASK QUESTIONS~ IMPORTANT ONES!

Is there a hold period once I hand this animal over, giving time for the owner to find and claim it?

If the animal is not claimed, are they euthanized at the end of the hold time or placed for adoption? Some animal shelters don't even place animals for adoption. Relinquished animals are immediately euthanized, and strays are euthanized after their required hold time if not claimed.

Do you euthanize for space? When the kennels are full, some agencies are forced to euthanize the animals that have been there longest to make room for new incomers.

Is your group No Kill? Even the term "no kill" can be taken too far. Some groups opt not to euthanize despite an animals health condition, in favor of natural death. Although these are not common, they do exist. If their group is no kill, ask what they do if an animal has a terminal illness.

Is your group licensed by the state if required? Does it have what is required by law to function as a shelter or rescue? You can call your department of agriculture to be certain the license is current. Some states, however, do not require a license. In this case, you can ask the shelter for the name of the veterinarian they use, to be used as a reference.

Will the animal be spayed or neutered before being adopted? Some shelters adopt intact animals out with a contract to be spayed/neutered by the adopter. To me, this is a risky business.

Where do you post your adoptable animals? Make sure their animals are seen! Petfinder.com is just one of several great resources for visibility of adoptables. Adoption events are also a great local resource.

Are animals housed at this facility, or in foster homes? There is good and bad to each of these options. On site housing, involves animals temporarily housed in cages rather than temporary homes, but when you go to meet animals they are all in one place. Foster homes provide the animal with a temporary family, and education on housetraining for the animal. While this is ideal, some states do not recognize foster homes, and if you want to meet a few different animals, it may mean several trips for you and your family.

Are adopters screened before an animal goes home with them? How a person cared for their animals in the past is a good indicator of how they will care for the pet they are interested in adopting. Screening often includes checking veterinary references, landlord checks, and personal references. Some shelters adopt to whomever can provide the adoption fee and has interest in that animal.

There is a broad spectrum of animal shelters and rescues. Don't judge their abilities by their name. High kill, Low Kill, No Kill... You won't know if the stray you found has a chance at life unless you ask a lot of questions. If you don't like the answer, then find a group with whom you are more agreeable. Once you find that group, you should continue to support them by donating, volunteering, and spreading the word after they have helped you.

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Friday, April 15, 2011

My 7year old daughter and I went for a nature walk. I placed my camera around her neck and said she could take photographs of anything she wanted. Here is the result of her photography, and she wanted to "write a blog" about her trip, so here it is in her words...

I went for a walk in the woods with my Mom. We found 5 golf balls in the ditch. We took them home and cleaned them.

I loved the walk.

We found a hole in a tree and it is a bird nest.

We went to a creek. We threw a rock in the creek and it splashed. It made little circles in the water.

We found a hole that could be a groundhog's nest.

This little hole could be a snake hole. I don't like snakes.

This is a bird nest in the tree.

This is a tree and it got bit up by a beaver and it took half of it and made it his or her nest.

This is another beaver tree. The tree is still there. He will save it for when he wants another nest.

This is a skull of something. I think it's a racoon. Mommy thinks it's a dog. (Mommy is wrong.)

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Wednesday, April 13, 2011

It was a typical day and we were all at the front counter when the phone rang. Heidi answered the phone, and Missy and I continued talking with a client. When Heidi hung up the phone, she looked at us and said, "That was Dietrich's Mom."

We kept looking at her waiting for more information. Dietrich had been adopted out only a few days ago to a wonderful woman who loved German Shepherds. Was she calling with an update? Was Dietrich getting along well with her dog?

Heidi noticed we were not reacting the way she had expected and clarified, "No. I mean that was Dietrich's original owner. She is looking for a nine month old German Shepherd that is missing."

We were dumbfounded. Unsure of what to do or say, my mouth hesitantly regurgitated, "What do you mean?" Heidi couldn't be right. Who would leave a dog on the side of a road to fend for himself, and then call to get him back? How would that be explained? Dietrich came to join us two weeks ago. Why want him back now, after all this time?

Heidi wisely had the woman forward us photographs of the dog she was missing, wrote down her contact information, and asked for her veterinary reference. Heidi had not yet mentioned whether we had a dog fitting that description. We were still unsure as to whether it was the same dog. We were also unsure as to whether this woman had been the one who abandoned the dog.

We called the veterinarian who gave the woman a wonderful reference. The vet had stated the woman even brought the dog into the vet office just to socialize the dog. All of his veterinary care had been provided as recommended by this veterinarian, with the unfortunate exception of a microchip. We were now less inclined to believe that this woman was the one who had dumped this dog. We just had to confirm that the dog she was looking for was the dog we had taken into our rescue.

Shortly after the phone conversation, we ran to the computer to await the email. It was not there. We clicked refresh. Still not there. Refresh. Nope. Refresh, refresh, refresh. Then the email arrived. The sender's name matched the woman's name. We all looked at each other with anticipation. We were excited to open it, yet we were also hesitant. Click. The email was opened. Attached to the email was this:

We pulled up my blog about Dietrich, and compared her photograph to ours.

We really had no doubt that this dog was the same dog. Crap. Dietrich had been adopted just days ago to a wonderful woman. It was up to us to call the adoptive Mom and let her know what was happening. But not until we were absolutely certain that Dietrich was the same dog as the one in the poster.

I emailed a copy of my blog back to the woman and asked her if the photos in the blog looked like her dog. The phone rang almost immediately after sending the blog. Through the handset, the woman could be heard sobbing. "I am 99% certain that is my Kimber," she squeaked out between the tears. I made her repeat it, because I could not understand what she said the first time.

The plan was to have the woman who adopted Dietrich drop him off at the clinic, allowing the previous owner to confirm whether he is her missing dog, Kimber. But it was not going to be that simple. The woman who was looking for her dog, was making sporadic phone calls while on vacation in Virginia. She would not be back in Iowa for several days. We were all going to have to sit in limbo, wondering what the fate of this wonderful dog would be.

She would be back in Iowa hoping to meet the dog on Friday. I told her we open at 9 am. She said she would be there at 8 am. She was half joking.

One of my assistants had already given Dietrich's adoptive owner a heads up on the situation, and said that she had immediately broken down into tears upon hearing the news. In just a few days time, the bond between her dog and Dietrich was strong, and equally strong between Dietrich and her. She was devastated.

I called the adoptive Mom to discuss it further. I gave her the option of dropping him off immediately, so she could cut ties quickly rather than dwell on it for days, or she could keep him with her until Thursday or very early Friday. She said she would call us back with her decision. When she did, she chose to keep him with her where he is comfortable until Thursday evening. She knew that if it was her dog that had been missing, that she would want him back desperately. She asked me to promise to call her once they were reunited, to let her know if it went well. I promised and she tearfully hung up the phone.

Many things ran through our heads awaiting the possible reunion. The dog was not found anywhere near where this lady lived. Who was it that dropped him off that day? How did they get him? Why did it take so long for this owner to call us? Many of the questions were answered as we continued phone conversations with the possible owner.

Kimber's owner had contacted all of her "local" agencies about her dog's disappearance, including police, veterinarians, boarding kennels, animal control, etc. What she neglected to do was to broaden her search. She had all but given up on finding him when her sister helped her to make the poster. The poster and her sister inspired her to renew and broaden the search for her missing dog. While on vacation visiting her sister, she made more phone calls, one of them was that fateful one to our clinic.

Thursday came and Dietrich came back to us, tearfully. I am certain he wondered why he was back. Friday morning, the reunion was anxiously awaited by my entire staff.

The door opened, and in came a woman.

"Are you here to meet Dietrich?" I asked, hopefully. "Yes." We talked for a few minutes, I asked permission to use my video camera, and she thoughtfully agreed. Missy went in back and got Dietrich.

I was anxious. What if Dietrich seemed hesitant to go back with her? What if he wasn't her dog and we were all disappointed? What if...what if...

Missy approached the front desk with Dietrich on the leash, and here is the reunion video:

As it turns out, Kimber had chased their cat out the door and into the yard before he had been clipped onto his leash. By the time they threw their winter clothes on to go look for him, he had disappeared. Perhaps he wandered further off the property than usual, but the family was looking for him almost immediately. It seems someone must have picked him up, then dumped him the same day out in the country. They left him on the side of the road with a few bites of kibble and a chewed up pet-unfriendly toy. No one knows why they did what they did. I am grateful for the remaining events that led to a happy ending.

Kimber is now microchipped, and can be quickly identified if he goes missing again. Even in my practice, people opt against microchipping their dog or cat, even after we discuss with them how important a microchip can be. "He never leaves the house." "She is always with me." These reasons are not good enough. Things happen, period. A microchip is the only form of easily recogizable permanent identification. Tags fall off. Collars can be removed. Opt for the microchip. It is an invaluable resource, and can help save your pet's life!

I am so grateful that we were able to participate in this reunion. I am grateful that a family was reunited. I am grateful that Kimber's Mom did not give up her search. I am grateful that the adoptive Mom was so understanding in a situation that was heartwarming for others, yet so heartbreaking for her and for her dog.

Thank you, adoptive Mom, for being so understanding. Although you cannot be Kimber's Mom, you will always be Dietrich's Mom.

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